You pay for an evaluation (Topstep calls it the Trading Combine, Take Profit Trader the Test, FundedNext a challenge). If you reach the profit target without breaking the drawdown and consistency rules, you move to a funded or performance account and can request payouts. Firms discount the evaluation fee in three ways: a public code entered at checkout, such as NOFEE40 at Take Profit Trader or FNFLEX at FundedNext; a time-limited sale, which Apex Trader Funding runs roughly every month, usually at 80% to 92% off; or a referral code from an existing trader, which is how Topstep's 15% discount works.
Some discounts apply once and some recur. Take Profit Trader's NOFEE40 takes 40% off the monthly Test subscription for as long as the account runs, and Topstep's Daily Loss Limit discount lowers each monthly payment by $10 to $30. Most sale codes, by contrast, only cover the first purchase or the first one or two challenges.